City · Alaska
Kotzebue, Alaska
Kotzebue, city, in Northwest Arctic Borough, Alaska. Kotzebue had 2,876 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 7.1% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 3,102 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 2,984 (±24). GEOID 0241830.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
2,876
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 3,102 · ACS 2020-2024: 2,984 ±24
Median household income
$110,357
±$8,590 (90% margin)
Alaska: $92,788
Median home value
$288,400
±$31,220 (90% margin)
Alaska: $352,900
Median gross rent
$1,565
±$138 (90% margin)
Alaska: $1,419
Where is Kotzebue and what county is it in?
Kotzebue is a city in Northwest Arctic Borough, Alaska. It covers 24.4 square miles of land, 127 residents per square mile in 2020.
Kotzebue is the same area as Census Tract 2 of Northwest Arctic Borough: the tract's figures are Kotzebue's own.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Kotzebue, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 2,876 people lived in Kotzebue on July 1, 2025, down 7.1% since 2020, while Alaska grew 0.5%. The 2020 Census counted 3,102 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 2,984 (±24).
| Measure | Kotzebue | Northwest Arctic Borough | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 2,984 ±24 | 7,441 | −303 |
| Households | 796 ±61 | 1,825 | −153 |
| Average household size | 3.35 ±0.25 | 3.81 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 1,002 ±51 | 2,744 | −247 |
Kotzebue's population since 2000
From 3,082 in 2000 to 2,876 in 2025: down 6.7%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Kotzebue as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Kotzebue?
The median resident of Kotzebue is 31.0 years old; 32.6% are under 18 and 7.7% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaska Native residents at 62.7%, then non-Hispanic white residents at 19.2%.
| Measure | Kotzebue | Northwest Arctic Borough | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 31.0 ±1.2 | 28.8 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 32.6% ±2.0 pts | 37.3% | – |
| 65 years and over | 7.7% ±1.4 pts | 8.5% | – |
| Male | 47.9% ±2.4 pts | 52.2% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 5.7% ±0.2 pts | 2.3% | +3.0 pts |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 19.2% ±1.1 pts | 9.2% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 1.2% ±2.3 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.8% ±2.7 pts | 1.6% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 62.7% ±4.4 pts | 80.6% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.8 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 10.4% ±2.8 pts | 5.8% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.8 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 2.2% ±3.1 pts | 2.2% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 19.4% ±4.5 pts | 25.1% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 7.0% ±3.2 pts | 5.6% | – |
| With a disability | 10.9% ±2.1 pts | 11.7% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 17.5% ±3.9 pts | 18.1% | −9.5 pts |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 90.9% ±2.5 pts | 85.3% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 18.7% ±5.2 pts | 10.6% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 8.3% ±5.3 pts | 4.2% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 84.4% ±4.7 pts | 87.5% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 1.5% ±1.1 pts | 2.0% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Kotzebue earn?
Half of Kotzebue's 796 households earn less than $110,357 a year (±$8,590), against $84,018 in Northwest Arctic Borough and $92,788 in Alaska. In 2015-2019 it was $99,918 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 14.4% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Kotzebue | Northwest Arctic Borough | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $110,357 ±$8,590 | $84,018 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $132,163 ±$9,371 | $104,843 | – |
| Per capita income | $43,384 ±$4,292 | $30,256 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 14.4% ±3.2 pts | 17.9% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 22.7% ±7.4 pts | 25.5% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 17.1% ±3.6 pts | 35.8% | – |
| Households with a computer | 98.0% ±1.4 pts | 94.3% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 96.0% ±1.9 pts | 88.6% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Kotzebue?
Owners occupy 48.0% of Kotzebue's occupied homes and renters 52.0%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $288,400 by its owner (±$31,220). The median renter pays $1,565 a month including utilities, and 13.4% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Kotzebue | Northwest Arctic Borough | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $288,400 ±$31,220 | $199,100 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $1,565 ±$138 | $1,350 | −$223 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 13.4% ±6.4 pts | 14.9% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $2,164 ±$319 | $1,525 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 48.0% ±5.0 pts | 64.4% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 52.0% ±5.0 pts | 35.6% | – |
| Housing units | 1,002 ±51 | 2,744 | −247 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±6.3 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 2.7% ±2.0 pts | 2.1% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 57.1% ±3.9 pts | 81.7% | – |
| Mobile homes | 1.3% ±1.5 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±2.5 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 2.4% ±1.5 pts | 5.1% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 0.3% ±0.4 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 38.2% ±5.6 pts | 64.6% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Kotzebue building?
Builders took permits for 2 new housing units in Kotzebue in 2025 (2 in single-family houses), 0.7 per 1,000 residents against 1.2 across Alaska.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Kotzebue work and get to work?
23.4% of Kotzebue's workers drive alone and 4.3% work from home. The average trip to work takes 6.1 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 6.2%.
| Measure | Kotzebue | Northwest Arctic Borough | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 68.3% ±3.2 pts | 58.8% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 6.2% ±2.1 pts | 16.7% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 23.4% ±4.1 pts | 15.9% | – |
| Carpooled | 17.2% ±4.1 pts | 11.5% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.1% ±0.2 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Walked | 44.4% ±4.2 pts | 44.5% | – |
| Worked from home | 4.3% ±1.9 pts | 5.3% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 6.1 min ±0.7 | 5.9 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Kotzebue?
1 census tract lies mostly in Kotzebue (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 2Northwest Arctic Borough | 2,984 | $110,357 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Kotzebue) · Census block assignment files
How does Kotzebue compare with other places in Alaska?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Kotzebue is the 6,470th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 18th-most populous of 149 in Alaska.
Kotzebue ranks 10th of 69 places in Alaska with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 18th | 149 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 23rd | 26 |
| Residents per square mile | 31st | 71 |
| Median household income | 10th | 69 |
| Per capita income | 39th | 71 |
| Median home value | 52nd | 66 |
| Median gross rent | 14th | 62 |
| Poverty rate | 13th | 57 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 59th | 69 |
| Median age | 66th | 71 |
| Owner-occupied share | 64th | 68 |
| Work from home | 46th | 50 |
| Travel time to work | 65th | 69 |
Kotzebue's figures with every place in Alaska (CSV)
Every place in Alaska, sortable · Compare Kotzebue with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Kotzebue?
12 of the 57 figures for Kotzebue on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Kotzebue are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Kotzebue.